The Best Sunscreen for Face and Body, Even for When You’re In The Car
The sun is out and so is your skin.
With bare arms and big smiles, we’re hopping into our cars for longer drives in the sunshine, so it’s important to make sure our skin is as protected as possible. Lips, faces, body, and even hair, there’s a perfect product for it all. I’ll be totally honest, in my teens and 20’s I didn’t care that much about sun protection. I’d spend hours outdoors with nothing on my skin and think I was fine if I didn’t get more than a mild sunburn. I especially didn’t worry about sun protection when I was going to be in my car, since I thought that would protect me. Then I hit my 30’s, learned more about the early aging effects of the sun, started taking the health implications of sun exposure more seriously, and learned how damaging those UV rays can be, even inside a car! Now I take sun care super seriously and I love to know that I’m protected so I can enjoy the outdoors without worry.
Related: Moonroof? Sunroof? What’s the Difference?
Cleaning sunscreen off your car’s seats, armrest and screens
Probably the biggest gripe we have when it comes to sunscreen is the white residue and greasy marks it can leave on your car’s interior. If you do find that an errant elbow leaves a little residue, snag a pack of Armor All Protectant Cleaning Wipes with UV Protection to swipe it easily away, along with other messes too. If sunscreen
leaves a mark on fabric, carpet or the headliner ceiling cover, The Chemical Guys make a foam cleaner that will deep clean interior fabrics. And for screens that become cluttered with greasy fingerprints, this nifty spray and cloth set tucks neatly into your center console to polish up your screens on the go.
Studies show that an SPF of 15 and above can help prevent against skin cancer, sun burn, and early aging
In fact, the simple use of sunscreen can be one of the best anti-aging tools in your arsenal! Making sure that this healthy habit is convenient is the first step to ensuring you’re always covered. Moisturizer and sunscreen combos can be a fantastic way to do just that. First thing in the morning, slather on a generous coating of these lush, SPF lotions, making your skin soft, pampered, and protected too.
Some favorites are Eucerin Daily Hydration Lotion with SPF 15, which provides the bare minimum SPF in a creamy formula that you can’t even tell contains sun protection. A handy pump makes this even more convenient for quick application. Kick it up a notch with the Eucerin Daily Hydration Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen that comes in a slightly less handy squeezy tube but double the protection! Both of these options are fragrance free but, if you’d like something with an aroma, the Hempz Yuzu & Starfruit Herbal Body Moisturizer with SPF 30 has a fruity, citrus scent that won’t disappoint!
Related: Looking Good: Products for Pretty Summer Skin
Sunscreen needs to soak in to work
Starting your morning with a coating of sunscreen gives it plenty of time to sink into your skin which is recommended by manufacturers for greatest efficacy.
It’s good to have a separate sunscreen for your face. The skin on our faces can be much more sensitive and our bodies are often covered, while our faces get the full glare of the sun. Additionally, we may be using moisturizer or makeup, so a high SPF, makeup-friendly sunscreen can go a long way!
For dry skin, my pick is the Rohto Skin Aqua UV Super Moisture Milk. The name may be a mouthful but this cult-favorite, Japanese, combination sunscreen is often out of stock for a reason. With a whopping SPF of 50, an easy to shake container, and a precise applicator, this milky lotion is super easy to apply and leaves skin plump and dewy even after it has soaked in. Fragrance-free and packed with hydrating skin care, this is sun protection with a skin care twist! Coat it on after your moisturizer has absorbed for a layer of glowing SPF. I have used this stuff consistently for over 3 years and always have at least one backup!
Related: Going Topless: What’s Your Convertible Car Style?
If you have oily skin, another fan favorite is the Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel. Similar to the Super Moisture Milk, this is a Japanese, combination sunscreen with an SPF of 50. It also contains skin care ingredients but this gel soaks into skin fast and leaves a lighter texture with a more matte finish.
An excellent option for all skin types is Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40. Invisible, light, scentless, and with a satin finish, this sunscreen can act as a silky primer prior to makeup or used alone for a smoothing effect. Plus, who wouldn’t love the name of this brand?!?
It’s important to reapply sunscreen every few hours, so either you can toss an extra tube of your favorite pick in your bag or you could even keep a Colorescience Sunforgettable Sunscreen Brush in your car. The great thing about this product is that it’s a powder, so it’s not going to leak anywhere in your vehicle. The transparent, mineral formula can be swiped over makeup with the included brush for a kiss of touch up protection without disturbing anything else you have on! I personally prefer to apply a second layer of my Super Moisture Milk on over my makeup but I’m a big fan of the dewy look.
Related: Rear View Mirror Makeup Tips
For lip protection, it’s hard to find more variety than Sun Bum. Their SPF 30 balm comes in a bunch of different tropical flavors like banana, coconut, pineapple, and they have SPF 15 tinted balms if you’d like to add a hint of color to your pout. I love starting off the day with a coating of coconut SPF 30 and touching up later with a tint of SPF 15 from my purse.
Finally, hair protection. For some, you may want to protect your dry hair or expensive coloring from the effects of UV rays but, on top of that (or underneath!), the scalp is an often overlooked area that is super sensitive to sun exposure. A heavy misting of a product like the Coola Scalp & Hair Mist Organic Sunscreen SPF 30 with monoi oils can both protect and nourish locks. Additionally this product is compliant with the Hawaii Reef Act 104.
If all of this doesn’t sound like enough protection, you could also invest in a good after-market UV tint on your car windows to block out those harmful rays before they even get to you!
Now enjoy yourself out there on those Summer drives!
Categorized:Car Culture
Read This Next
